SEX WORK AND THE LAW - HIV/AIDS Data Hub

Other examples of local ordinances include:
In Makati City, City Ordinance 92-073 requires entertainment workers to undergo
check-ups every 14 days conducted by the Makati Health Department and to secure
annual clearance for HIV from the Social Hygiene Clinic. 510
In Angeles City, sex workers who are diagnosed with an STI are allowed to continue
to work at the establishment, but are not permitted to provide sexual services until
cured. The floor manager of a bar is notified of a bar worker’s positive STI diagnosis. 511
In Iloilo City, freelance sex workers are reportedly required to register, and acquire
‘green card’ with regular STI screening through a local NGO (i.e., PROCESS). Police may
apprehend those who fail to comply. 512
In Quezon City, Ordinance 1053 requires entertainment/sex workers to undergo
weekly STI screening/testing and a semi-annual HIV voluntary test. Managers/owners
may opt to fire entertainers who refuse to undergo a test. 513
In Olongapo City, an Anti-Prostitution Ordinance (No.51 Series of 2009) targets
customers and pimps, as opposed to female sex workers. According to Buklod (an
NGO for sex workers), this Ordinance was patterned after a similar local policy in
Quezon City. There is a challenge in enforcing the local Anti-Prostitution Ordinance
because of the very minimal penalty (Php 5,000). Consequently, the local government
issued another policy, the Anti-Indecency Ordinance, to discourage sex work activities
in entertainment establishments by prohibiting entertainment workers from
dancing nude or in underwear. Additionally, a multi-sectoral task force composed
of members of the Local AIDS Council, Social Hygiene Clinic, National Bureau of
Investigation, Philippine National Police and an NGO (Buklod) was formed to monitor
the implementation of the ordinance. Establishments found to be in violation of the
policy are closed, while sex workers are referred to Buklod for HIV and STI orientation
education seminars. 514
Access to condoms
Police confiscation of condoms for use as evidence remains a controversial issue. Although
the government has supported efforts to promote condom use among sex workers
over the last decade, a study conducted in 2010 found that the presence of condoms in
establishments when raided by the police is still used as evidence for sex work. 515
The 100% CUP was introduced initially in three sites in the Philippines in 1999 by Program
for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH) through the AIDS Surveillance and Education
Project of USAID. The programme was expanded to five other sites. In 2003, the programme
was implemented with WHO support in San Fernando, La Union, Dagupan and Urdaneta,
Pangasinan, and Laoag City. 516 Since 2003, the 100% CUP has been implemented in few
cities and has never had national coverage. Strategies of the 100% CUP include:
510 Makati City, Makati Citizen’s Guidebook, p.149.
511 In the City of Angels, they use condoms, Newsbreak, 21 January 2011.
512 Information provided at country consultation workshop, 6 October 2011.
513 Ibid.
514 Ibid.
515 Natividad J., Trinidad A., Billedo C., Templonuevo J., (2011) op cit., p.80.
516 See: Guide to 100% Condom Use Programme in the Philippines, HAIN News, 16 December 2007.
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